The present invention relates to a recording system constructed with a plurality of recording devices such as, for example, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) recorders or a hard disc recorders, and a recording method and a recording device used in the recording system.
A video recording device constructed with, for example, a combination of a DVD recorder and a HDD (Hard Disc Drive) and further equipped with a network connection terminal such as an Ethernet (registered trademark) terminal, has been used widely. A good many of such recording devices (video recording devices) are designed such that a reservation of program recording can be easily done through a GUI (Graphical User Interface), which can be classified under broadcasting channel or program genre, while displaying an electronic program information called EPG (Electronic Program Guide) on a display screen of a television receiver (monitor receiver).
For example, JP-A-2002-354365 discloses a technique for making a rapid selection of a desired program possible with using EPG and JP-A-2000-285639 discloses a technique for efficiently searching contents, whose reservation of recording is made and which is recorded by using EPG. By using these techniques, an effective utilization of EPG is promoted.
Information of digital BS (Broadcast Satellite) broadcastings and digital CS (Communications Satellite) broadcastings and other pay broadcastings are usually inserted into EPG, regardless of functions of tuners used by individual users and broadcasting channels, which can be selected in areas in which the tuners are positioned.
When nothing is made for such matter, a reservation of video recording for, for example, BS broadcasting or CS broadcasting becomes possible in a recording device having no channel selection function for BS or CS broadcasting. Namely, there may be a case where, though a broadcasting signal is intrinsically not selectable by the recording device and, so, can not be recorded by the recording device, the reservation of video recording of a program transmitted by the broadcasting signal becomes possible in the recording device. However, it is not realistic to realize a recording device, which can receive all of broadcasting programs inserted into EPG, due to heavy burden in both hardware and manufacturing cost.
In view of this, it is usual that, when a reservation of video recording of a TV broadcast program on a channel, which can not be selected by a TV receiver of a user, is made, a warning message, etc., indicating impossibility of reservation of video recording is output to urge the user to change an input operation for reservation. In such case, the user can clearly know the impossibility of reservation of the channel, so that confusion of the user can be avoided.
However, the fact that, though a broadcast program exists in a displayed EPG, reservation of recording thereof is impossible due to impossibility of selection of a broadcasting signal providing the program may be understood by users as bad performance of the recording device.
Even in a case where EPG is not used, there may be a case where a reservation of video recording is impossible due to impossibility of selection of the broadcasting signal providing the broadcasting program or, even if the reservation of video recording is possible, it is practically impossible to record an aimed broadcast program, as in the case in which EPG is used.